A Diamond In the Sand
by Chris4Short
Summary: Daniel receives a package that leads the team into a lost tunnel his parents had discovered in Egypt. But what else can be found in the tunnel?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Written in response to a Challenge I came across one day while I was bored. #14 Daniel finds some National Geographic films of his parents' digs in Egypt and recognizes some of the symbols as being Goa'uldish. He also recognizes some of the items as being ribbon devices and other Goa'uld items. The team goes to Egypt to try to find the dig sites again, and find more than they bargained for buried under the sand.

And I totally forgot to thank my beta - Alison aka Meriem Clayton (also on this site - look her up wonderful writer as well!) Also I would like to thank all at SDG who gives me thumbs up and encourages me to continue with these musings of mine - OH and YOU too, since you are reading, and want to R&R... yes, yes you do!

A Diamond in the Sand

By Christine, chris4short

* * *

Daniel walked down the corridor to his office; glancing once more at the armful of mail the SF had given him. Normally there were not many pieces for him, just a few magazines that the military provided and an internal newsletter, which he wrote a few pieces. Normally there would be a small stack of papers, not the burgeoning package he now held.

Gripping his ID badge card, Daniel touched the pad, silently watching the door slide back. Sighing, he flipped on the overhead lights, bathing the office and spotlighting various tablets. Throwing the empty cup of coffee away, he placed his mail on the desk. It was mostly newsletters from the various floors – he forgot that this was the month that each floor or department wrote up a little something about themselves, packing the mail in the process.

Flipping through the pieces, he tossed each one after reading the departmental information, keeping only a few. Riffling through the rest, he spotted a bulky manila envelope. Picking it up, Daniel inspected the label, trying to find who sent him the package. Giving up he opened it, and took the contents out.

A DVD and a short letter came out. Flipping the DVD cover over, he saw a picture of his parents beside a large tomb entrance.

Interesting choice, thought Daniel. Staring at it for a moment, he realized he was not in it, and that his mother's hair was done in braids, most likely making the picture from before he was born. Smiling faintly, he placed the box aside and picked up the note.

_Dr. Daniel Jackson;_

_You have no doubt seen many of the videos and small documentaries on your parents and their influential digs. The National Geographic Society has recently compiled a new series on the digs of Giza, documenting the finds and those who excavated the area._

_We have sent you an advance copy of the director's edit of the series. Please view and send us your approval and/or suggestions. Also if you would be available for an interview, we would be pleased to work around your schedule._

Daniel picked the video up once more and looked at the picture. His parents had made a few discoveries in Giza but he was surprised that they would be picked – among the hundreds – to be included. He felt immense pride that it was his parents, but was quickly pulled into the deep sorrow that had been with him since their accident. He would not be able to share it with them.

Placing the DVD and letter aside, Daniel continued to flip through the department newsletters, leaning back as he opened the one from the Astrophysics Department.

* * *

Finishing the amazing article on how the Naquadah generator had virtually saved a village on MPX-4654, and once more wondering where Sam ever got the time to write such long reports, Daniel headed to the commissary, needing food and coffee. Riding to level 22, he fumbled with the DVD cover.

He was surprised that his parents had been included; theirs had been only one of a handful of excavations that had helped uncovered sites in Giza, before some of their own personal successes. Among one of their great accomplishments was uncovering pieces of a ceremonial riverboat by the Great Pyramid. Surely the others had gone on to even grander things then his parents. But, nonetheless, he was proud.

"Daniel!" Jack called out as Daniel hit the door. Smiling Daniel first wound his way through the food line, knowing if he stopped to talk with Jack before he did, he would never eat.

"Whatcha got there?" Jack asked as Daniel set the cover and his tray down.

"I got it in the mail. The National Geographic Society is making a new documentary and is including footage from a dig with which my parents helped. They want my consent and an interview."

"Sweet. I'm sure you'll have no problem getting those vacation days you have been saving."

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'm more worried about what the footage is. I mean I have seen everything from their videos and what not." Daniel scratched his head, and sighed. Bringing his fork up to his mouth, he added, "Whatever it is I'm proud that they are being included."

"That's the spirit!" Jack said as he clunked his coffee mug down. "Well, I have a briefing report to read."

"You never really read the reports, Jack," Daniel said as he watched the older man get up.

"Umm… well… I have to go."

Daniel smiled as he watched the now General Jack O'Neill scurry off to his office. He knew he would mostly be online emailing him new jokes or getting weird news updates. Dinner topics for later. He shook his head and went back to eating.

* * *

The translations for the temple tablet found by SG-11 had proven harder then Daniel first thought. He even had to postpone meeting with Teal'c and Sam at the gym. Finally, pinching weary eyes and turning off the table lamp, Daniel prepared to go home. Gathering his jacket, keys and the extra folders he would work on in the evening, he was about to leave when he remembered the DVD.

Grabbing it he headed topside to make his way home. Stopping off to pick up a frozen pizza, he knew it was going to be another long night if he wanted to get through the piles of paper work.

Once home, he started heating up the oven and clicked on the TV to listen to the nightly news. Nothing was of real interest and he figured he could afford to watch the DVD while he made and ate dinner.

Settling back into the couch with his plate, Daniel became engrossed in the documentary. It was amazing how many people he had met, or had heard of, that were being featured and highlighted.

_... Along with Mel and Claire Jackson, the team began the work of uncovering the pieces of wood that later became the Solar boat that now sits beside its chamber._

_Found in 1952, under a 1.5-meter slab of limestone, the boat was in pieces, still preserved._

"_It looks like they left the pieces for the Pharaoh Cheops to find and put together," Mel Jackson said._

"_It must have been quite a journey just to bring the thing here. Why not finish it and construct the boat?" Claire asked._

_This was the beginning of Mel and Claire Jackson's wonderful journey through the sands of Egypt and ending with their untimely death in New York's Museum of Art. The two were enthusiastic about what they found on many of their first team digs, and their enthusiasm continued as they began to uncover some treasures of their own. In 1960, they also uncovered a long passage that many believed led to the Sphinx._

"_Here you can see the hieroglyphs from one of the passage ways that snake across Giza. This one runs parallel to the Sphinx, so I think that it may lead under the Sphinx it self," Mel Jackson said as the video camera swept the walls, showing the golden raised words that had been carved centuries before._

As the video continued, Daniel watched, through the lens of his father's early video recorder as they walked down the hall, his mother seen tracing many of the scenes and translating them. As they turned the corner and the darkness enveloped them, an overhead light came on, illuminating the side chamber for the first time.

Daniel gasped and paused. He quickly found his cell phone and dialed Sam, Teal'c and Jack who would be in the middle of some deep conversation, no doubt at Jack's.


	2. Chapter 2

"In 1848, people started to explore the smaller cemeteries around the pyramids at Giza. It was not until 1902 that archeologists were called in to excavate the sites after years of plundering by tomb robbers. Now, many people overlook these lesser tombs merely because they are for the workers and village people who lived around the pyramids and built them. Contrary to popular belief and knowing what we know, these people were most likely a mixture of slaves, free and Jaffa, all serving next to one another.

"My parents arrived with a group of new archeologists in 1956. They were the youngest in the group and had the ideas of helping to preserve all the artifacts. Sadly, it turned out a few colleagues were more interested in personal gain then preserving the Egyptian culture. It was like what happened in the 1800s when the wealthy demanded mummies from Egypt, but that's for another discussion," Daniel said, stopping for breath. Before he could continue, Jack stepped forward and held up his hand.

"Whoa… stop there Danny-boy. Although fascinating, I don't think this was why you called us up and DEMANDED we come over right now, and interrupt a rather intellectual evening," Jack said as he clamped a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "Now, you said something about the tape you got in the mail…"

"Yes, right the tape," Daniel said as he raked his fingers through his hair. "Well instead of me describing, let me show you."

"Let's."

Daniel watched as Jack once more took a seat beside Teal'c and began the tape where he had rewound it. On screen, they saw the video footage shot as Mel and Claire were rounding the corner into the side chamber and were in the sudden dark. As a bright light was being turned on, illuminating the chamber, the camera swung slowly around, once more sweeping up and down the walls and around the floor.

"Now I know where you get the camera technique," Jack said as he watched.

"Just watch…" Daniel mumbled, once more engrossed in the images. He could only imagine what it was like to stumble upon such a find like the room and long causeway.

"There!" Daniel said as he paused. Searching the remote, he pressed the zoom button and then nudged the picture over slightly so the artifacts sat clearly in the middle of the TV screen.

"DanielJackson you are standing in front of the screen," Teal'c said after a beat.

Apologizing Daniel stepped aside and looked back toward the couch where Sam, Teal'c and Jack sat. After a moment, which to Daniel felt like an eternity standing there beside the TV, Sam slowly got up and moved closer to the screen.

"Are those…?"

"Yup," Daniel said, nodding enthusiastically.

"But how…" Jack asked, sitting forward and examining the screen.

"Well, the Sphinx is thought to be carved around 4,500 years ago, so that would place it around the time of Ra."

"But would these items not have been taken from its spot, DanielJackson?"

"I don't know. I don't think so. You see the causeway that my parents found is a lesser-known small passage that leads from the Lower Temple of Menkaure and toward the Great Sphinx or even the Sphinx Temple. Anyway, after they excavated it, part of the temple wall collapsed, cutting off this portion, if I recognize this footage, which has this room in it." Daniel sadly shook his head. "Nothing of this made its way out."

"Are you sure?" Sam asked.

"I went back and dug up my father's old expedition notes and think I found the right entry. It said that they planned coming back to gather the items, and photograph them, but the entrance collapsed once they left. They did not have enough money to hire a dig crew to get the boulders out, so they closed the whole causeway."

"Well that's good. At least it is not out in a museum for the NID to find. But what will happen when they see this?" Jack asked.

Daniel paused, knowing that the footage was important in documenting his parents' most famous work, but also knowing that some of it had to be edited for the safety of the SGC and the program. "Well, one way or the other we can not let the public see this. I'm sure questions have already been raised about what these are."

"And we can't exactly just tell them to shut up about the whole thing. Scientists seem to like communicating," Jack said, now pacing. Catching the glance that Daniel and Sam shared, he quickly backpedaled. "I mean that's a good thing, new ideas and all. Ah hell, you know what I mean!"

"Sir, there is still the question of what to do. I mean, if these images are correct, and I have no doubt they are, then there is a Goa'uld ribbon device, a communication ball, and handful of other items in that box, all buried beneath the sand at Giza," Sam said, turning toward the screen.


	3. Chapter 3

"No, Daniel, I will not authorize you to go out into the desert like a reckless person," Jack said as he paced his office.

After the watching the video footage, Jack and Daniel agreed that Daniel had to go to the National Geographic headquarters in DC and be interviewed. Maybe he could also ask that the footage could be cut; the less shown, the less people in the know who could see that there was still Goa'uld technology to be had right here on Earth, the safer it would be.

"Jack, hello. I am an archeologist. What do you think I was doing before I opened the Gate?"

"Giving lectures that no one took seriously."

"Before that Jack." Daniel turned away, desperate to compose himself. He was ready to jump across the desk and strangle Jack. "Look, I know what I am doing. This is my parents' work; the least I can do is finish it. Make sure it is safe. It's important to national security and all that."

"Daniel you don't have to appeal to my sense of national duty," Jack got up and rounded the desk. Crossing his arms, he regarded the young man. "That is why you are going to do a wonderful interview, telling how wonderful your parent's finds were, then we will all head to Egypt. I hear it is searing hot this time of the year. Kinda like P2X-5418."

"You complained the whole time."

"Well… I'm sure this is different."

"Not really."

"Well at least I will die on Earth."

"You are just trying to find a positive note in all this, aren't you?"

"I have not had a decent vacation since I took this command. I just want to do something more to stick it to the snakes."

"And a dig – which by the way I have no clue where to really start – is your idea of a vacation?"

Jack shrugged as he walked back around to his chair. "Hey, how often do I get dirty anymore?"

"I'll call the National Geographic Society and set up a time. I'll email you an itinerary as soon as I know," Daniel said. Before he opened the door, he looked back at Jack. "Teal'c and Sam don't know, do they?"

"I pride myself on making decisions that others must carry out," Jack said beaming.

"And to think you didn't want to be in charge," Daniel muttered, as he turned to leave.

* * *

Within hours, Daniel had called airlines and hotels and booked an interview with the National Geographic Society for the next day. Satisfied that things would be getting done in a reasonable timeframe, meaning less time that he had to listen to Jack whine, was the best.

He slowly made his way once more to Sam's lab, sure that she would be both irritated and intrigued that Jack had even considered them going to Egypt.

"You need to remind him of the last time we went there, Daniel. I'm sure he would reconsider," Sam said after listening patiently to Jack's idea, as Daniel carefully laid it out.

"Yeah, but that would mean he would scrap the whole expedition."

Shaking her head Sam scooted around the table, watching the printer spit out results. "No. He knows how important your parents' work is to you. He understands and will put his personal feelings aside."

"I know. So you on board?" Daniel asked, grabbing a refill of coffee.

Sam turned and, with a sparkle in her eye, she smiled. "To dig and find the biggest discovery the world can't know about? We do that everyday. Might as well do it among famous ruins."

* * *

Daniel flew to DC, Sam accompanying him since she had a presentation to give with some colleagues on the space junk floating around Earth. As the flight went across the flat lands, they talked about the various projects they still had slated and the recent books they had actually finished.

"That book in ever constant progress is still waiting. Those Naquadah mining techniques used on P7X-4677 need to be inspected. I'm handing more 'fun' projects to my staff," Sam said as she leaned back. "All I want to do is backward engineer something. Learn about some new gaseous formation… something interesting."

"How about digging in the sand?" Daniel offered. "Ok, so maybe that's my thing. But it will be nice to have everyone back together and working on this. We've been a team for 7 years, or 6… does ascension count?"

"Only if you were kicking Goa'uld butt while on the higher plane."

"How could I have descended and faced Jack otherwise?"

"Well, the loss of memory claim worked very well."

"I suppose. It will be nice to be back doing my job," Daniel said looking out the window. "Hey, Sam look," he said and pointed to the landscape below.

Leaning across him, Sam smiled as she watched Arlington Cemetery and then the Pentagon come into view. "Never gets old."

"It has a 'homey' quality to it doesn't it?" Daniel asked as they glided over the water and touched down.

"I still prefer the mountains."

"Well, have fun at your long, boring lecture. After, I'll show you the other kind of mountains."

"Oooo, sandy deserts. I need to hit the five nearest coffee shops on the way to Pentagon Station. These boring meetings are up there with the all staff board meetings we have at the SGC."

"Duck out early and we can explore the Air and Space Museum and maybe the National Gallery," Daniel said as they exited the plane. "I'll call you as soon as the interview is over."

"Sounds good. Talk to ya later."

* * *

Daniel had a good interview, covering his parent's major discoveries, their death, and his own accomplishments, glossing over the empty lecture halls and lack of new articles in the past few years. The interviewer, a petite red head, who disturbed Daniel at first since she vaguely reminded him of Hathor, was very kind and understanding about his parent's death and his own lack of personal achievements.

"Thank you, Dr. Jackson. I appreciate you coming out here and opening yourself to us. Is there anything else we can help you with?" Dana asked.

"I was wondering if you have any more of the footage you used in the documentary. I have the tape at home, but I was amazed at how clear your copy was. I'm sure you cleaned it up and digitalized it; if I could have a copy like that… it would be a wonderful addition to my collection."

"Certainly, right this way," Dana said, leading Daniel down the corridor. "We use extensive digital tools to clean up old footage. The one we received was a copy of your original, lent to us by the New York Museum of Art. We had to clean it so we could use it."

"You got it from New York? What else did they send?"

"Pictures, a map of the stone temple they were displaying when… the accident. Also a very faded parchment of drawings, etchings I think, from the corridor dig."

"May I see that as well? It does not sound familiar, but I have so much stuff… it could be among the files I have from the many expeditions."

"I'll set up a room that you can look at it," Dana said, smiling once more. "Here is the editing room. Doug Bue, this is Dr. Daniel Jackson, son of Mel and Claire Jackson. Doctor, Doug can help you with any technical questions, including any pieces you wish to be left out. I'll go set up the parchment and come get you as soon as that is ready."

"Thank you, Dana," Daniel said, satisfied that things were once more falling into place.

* * *

Calling Sam as he left the editing room, he quickly asked if she had a break to meet for lunch. He and Doug had talked about how best to show the corridor footage and had gotten the last pan around the room, the one showing the sensitive material, edited. For the sake of time and all.

As Dana led him into the white inspection room, Daniel shed his suit jacket and draped it across the chair.

"Is your girlfriend coming by to inspect the document also?" Dana asked as she carried it to the table.

"Excuse me?" Daniel nearly choked.

"The woman whom you called. Will she be coming by to inspect the parchment also?"

"Um, no, no, I don't believe so. She is in a meeting at the Pentagon," Daniel said.

Dana nodded and placed the parchment on the table and set gloves next to it. "Call me when you are done."

Daniel mumbled thanks as he put on the gloves. Whipping around, Daniel almost collided with the closed door; he had forgotten to tell Dana Sam was not his girlfriend. Shaking his head slightly and knowing Sam would laugh it off, he sat back down and lifted the glass cover from the document.

The rich colors still clung to the page, making the bright colors stand out from the faded page. It had the distinct tea stained look that most papyri had and the edges were fraying, but other than that it was in pristine condition. A small note was set along side the papyri:

_Found on dig, 1960, Mel Jackson. Side chamber, Sphinx Corridor._

Daniel sat looking over the images. Taking his phone and thanking Jack that he insisted on upgrading all their phones, without asking, to camera phones, he snapped pictures of the whole document, knowing that it was a real lead in their next leg of the journey.


	4. Chapter 4

"Those look like," Sam said as she looked at the pictures.

"Yup. I know. I wonder how this never got on display," Daniel said, almost bouncing.

"Never on display?" Sam asked skeptical. "This is not something anyone can explain and they just let it sit in their vault?"

"I pressed Dana, and even the curator who received the parchment. They both confirmed that it has never been displayed _because _it couldn't be explained. They don't want anything that could damage their reputations," Daniel replied.

Sam turned back to the lunch line and wondered what else was found in the collapsed corridor. "So did they say what would become of the document?"

"I have a nice spot on my wall that it will occupy," Daniel said as they stepped up to the front.

"Really? They are giving it to you?"

"I'm the Jackson's son. They said it was part of the collection that I was to receive when I graduated college, but it had gotten lost among all the other pieces that NY Museum of Arts stores."

"Wow. That's impressive. It will help in our digging, right?"

"Yes. It will not be another 'useless artifact'."

"Hey, I would never say that this is useless. Maybe it has some important information on it," Sam said as they finished ordering.

"We have a long flight ahead of us, so I think I will leave that so Jack can enjoy the translation also. For now, I think I just want to enjoy a few DC sites with you," Daniel said scrambling for one of the few empty seats in the cafeteria.

"Sounds good. And I could not think of any better company."

* * *

"Daniel, English!" Jack said, growing impatient. Besides the long flight, Daniel's cryptic discussion on the document he had examined was driving Jack nuts.

"Basically this is a map of the corridor, the one my father referred to as the 'Sphinx Corridor'. It tells how the passage was used to bring the sick from the temple to a place they call 'Chamber of Powers.' Now the best I can tell is that it was the big chamber, different from the one my parents found, where the Goa'uld would heal the sick."

"I know these snakes. They would not have just healed anyone," Jack said, settling into his chair.

"Indeed, not. There was a way Apophis would use in order to ascertain who was worth of the healing. They had to be a valued member of the Jaffa, and had to be worthy of such an honor," Teal'c said.

"So no ordinary workers?" Jack asked.

"No, not according to the text, however it looks like there was another ritual that would be performed also in the temple. An after death funeral service of types. The pictures are too small, but it reminds me of a sarcophagus. The ritual is described very much like the mummification of nobles and the pharaohs who followed the Rebellion," Daniel said. Holding up the printed image of the document, he looked at each and then said, "This could be a missing part to the Book of the Dead – the Gou'ald version."

* * *

"Do you really think that there is more to the document then what your parents were able to dig out?" Sam asked as she silently settled into a seat next to Daniel.

"I don't know. You'd think when the gate was found, they'd have thought there was more to it then that? If we find the entrance again, there could be quite a bit of work to get through the rubble and then finding the chamber with the devices and then investigating where the larger temple room was. This is a lot of work."

"Sounds fun to me. There isn't much we can't handle, Daniel, so don't worry. We are a team and as much as Jack will complain, he will enjoy doing something that will help us get more Goa'uld technology."

Daniel smiled weakly at Sam. "Thanks. You always are a rock for me."

"Hey, what are friends for? And who else would listen to me drone on about the way space shuttles could be constructed differently?"

"The one who drones on about how famous the Nile crocodile is and where all the various temples are located," Daniel said knocking his shoulder lightly with hers.

"We make a good team Doctor Jackson."

"Yes we do, ColonelDoctor Carter."

They each smiled into the dark as the cabin lights turned off. "I suppose they are trying to tell us something."

"Next time we need to find a quieter place we can talk."

Sam smiled into the darkness, watching Daniel tuck the blanket up to his chin and settle into some sleep. She, on the other hand, was filled with excitement over a new adventure and right in their own backyard! Still she was also was very worried about what they would find under the sand. She knew from Daniel's late nights and adventure stories that deserts and sand could yield anything and often took people and secrets into their depths.

Turning her own blanket up to her shoulders, she knew she would stand beside Daniel what ever they found, not letting him be sucked into the sand.


	5. Chapter 5

A transfer in Italy and the team was off once more to the sandy countryside of Egypt. Daniel had secured the Visas and faxed all the necessary paperwork from the Air Force to the Egyptian Antiquities Service Agency, having to do some creative work with Teal'c. He magically became a scholar from Nigeria who was working with Daniel; he stayed in the short turban covering to conceal the gold tattoo that was very noticeable to everyone outside the SGC.

Once they had touched down at the Cairo airport, Colonel Amund of the Egyptian Air Force greeted them.

"General, Colonel, Doctors," Amund said, saluting both Jack and Sam. "I am Colonel Amund and will be your escort to the dig. If you have any problems, please come and tell me."

He nodded once and walked to an awaiting jeep, letting the four team members carry their own bags and place them in the vehicle before they piled in and set off to the dig site.

Daniel was a bit nervous. He had kept dodging Jack's questions about the dig site, hopping that there would be some way to tell him that he was even not really sure where to begin. During the flight, between lecturing Jack on how to be patient and careful while on site and the fact that there would be hard work involved, Daniel had poured over the various workbooks and entries that were from the dig, hoping to narrow down where the exact entrance was. Daniel had been to Giza enough to know that the sands were pocketing with dig sites, and half started excavations. To find the right point of entry was going to be difficult.

"You know where we are goin?" Jack asked as they left the paved highway for a rocky stretch that seemed to be heading right for the Pyramids.

"Of course, General. Your fax was very specific on where your camp should be. I assumed you and your excavation team had talked," Colonel Amund said with a bit of a smile.

"Yes I assumed that too," Jack said as he turned to look at Daniel, who was watching the pyramids come closer. "What happened to 'communication is key?'"

"You will be informed as soon as we get there. Don't worry. And, yes, I know what I am doing and, yes, I have accommodations all taken care of."

"I still am not too keen on desert life," Jack muttered as the jeep bumped over the rocks and onto a makeshift pavement.

"Think of it as living on P2X-5418 for a bit longer," Daniel said, turning to smile at his friend. "And besides I think you said you liked Sam's rather hot version of tamales. It is a desert and will get very cold."

"If you were not my friend…" Jack said, turning away to watch as they slowed to a stop. "More sand then you can shake a stick at."

"Here we are, General, Colonel, Doctors," Colonel Amund said as he swung the door open, retrieving their gear from the back. "I have all ready delivered the list of supplies, Doctor Jackson. If you need anything else, please contact me on the short wave."

"Thank you, Colonel. I will call if we need anything else," Daniel said as he shook the Egyptian's hand. Watching him turn around and leave, Daniel breathed in the sandy air, catching a bit of the Nile scent beyond the plateau. He was sure he could hear the Sphinx purr to his right, and saw the green across the Nile, inviting him into there cool shade. He was home, on a dig, retracing his parent's steps and hoping to uncover the diamond in the sand that he was most likely standing on.

"DanielJackson," Teal'c's hand rested on his shoulder, breaking the silent spell.

"Yes? Oh! Yes," Daniel said as he spun around, seeing Jack and Sam already squaring off, Jack trying to figure out what the tackle boxes were here for (getting excited most likely thinking about fishing) while Sam tried to keep him away from the sharp tools and equipment.

There had to be order, and Daniel was about to show how much of an expedition director he could be.

* * *

Second day and no one was complaining that they had moved fully into "tent city SGC" as Jack lovingly called their cluster of four white tents. Dressed in lightweight clothing and with water bottles littered about them, Daniel was fairly confident he had located one of the first entrances his parents diaries talked about.

Teal'c tapped away at the hardened clay sand, while Jack would inspect the openings, probing where next tap should be. Sam was busy preparing meals and pouring over documents with Daniel, watching him as he tried to find more clues in the Gou'ald text.

Hours went by, and Jack, Teal'c, Sam and Daniel settled down for a quick bite, exchanging information. After cleaning the pots, they went to the entrance, which Teal'c had been working on.

"You guys cleared away a lot," Sam said as she looked at the two-foot hole.

Daniel tested the rubble around the opening, seeing if the clay would now break off and make the hole passable. "I think we can get in," he said as more of the wall crumbled against his hand.

"Is it safe though?" Jack asked.

"Grab those 4x4s and let's frame the entrance. Then we can bring some in to make braces with," Daniel said as he headed over to the woodpile.

"Excellent choice," Teal'c said as he too helped carry the beams over.

Finally they had two more braces that they carried into the corridor. Bringing flashlights and small kerosene lamps with them, the team slowly walked down the bare hall, waiting to come across some identification marks that they were in the right one.

* * *

It took another two days of carefully removing rocks and bracing the corridor before they got to the collapsed part of the corridor. As the light bounced off the walls, slowly turning into short scenes of processions of worshippers heading toward the temple, Daniel became more and more excited.

But his heart almost stopped as the light hit the collapsed part. Leaning against the wall, he eyed the chunks of ceiling and dust. "Wow," was all he breathed.

Sam came beside him as the others began to set up another brace. When she rested her hand on his arm, he turned to look at her. "Congratulations, Dr. Jackson, I think you rediscovered the Sphinx Corridor."

"I think so. This is… more then I had ever expected. The walls, I could spend hours just translating, but what is beyond here is the most evidence of a Gou'ald presence on Earth we have ever really found. This would have proven my theories that the Egyptians had not built the Pyramids for temples…" Daniel looked back toward the corridor. "We need to set up the camera for this one."

"I was waiting for another photo moment," Jack said as he finished pounding the cross section into place. "T grab the stand; kids make yourself happy. On the count of ten."

Jack set the camera and hurried to stand beside Daniel, knowing that this was not only the best way to spend some down time, but also the best way to be back with his team. The flash lit up the area and for a second they all cursed as spots floated in front of them. After the cob webs cleared, they once more turned toward deconstruction, carefully digging through the clay and dirt, making another hole, getting closer to the room where the Jackson's had first documented the strange golden devices that later would be identified as Gou'ald in origin.

Each rock was carefully taken from the pile, turned around and inspected to see if it was a ceiling piece, and then put into a pile accordingly. They worked slowly, dusting off the smaller rocks and placing them in boxes. Daniel was pleased that he did not hear a sound from anyone. They all chatted about what they wanted to do when they got back to the SGC and what important missions were slated.

Jack found that working with his hands cleared his mind and he was able to finally make some headway in his many selection decisions considering whom to appoint as new SG leaders, and forming their teams. He knew it would save spending a hundred more hours staring at folders and recommendations.

Teal'c imagined what it was like for his brother Jaffa to have built these great temples so long ago. He had seen many wonders while he was First Prime and had been the overseer for many temples erected in Apophis's honor and to celebrate victorious battles. He had even been a worker before Bra'tac had taken him under his wing. He also wondered if there were any Jaffa's who doubted the Goa'uld's hold on them and wanted to die free from their grips.

Sam was going over her dissertation on gamma-rays and after glow theory. She had been asked by many of the new staff if the theory would interfere with the Stargate activity, prompting her to go back through her notes and lectures on the new discoveries. The theory had been around for a while. The gamma-rays interacted everyday in the universe, never interfering with Earth, but there had been concern on other planets from the other side of the galaxy on these outbursts. She knew from the recent observations and articles in magazines that these were natural and really did no. But she was proud of her team for asking to be educated.

Daniel simply threw himself into his work. He had always found some silent joy in the dirty, hard work of digging and uncovering the past. His parents' love of preserving the treasures for future generations that had also made its way into him. No matter how often he saw the same artifacts or exhibits, he felt proud of what his colleagues were doing, even if they laughed at him for his ideas, despite the fact that they were right.

"Daniel! I have a hole here!" Jack said excitedly.

Sam and Daniel shared a short glance as they watched Jack climb down two ceiling chunks. "What did ya find, Jack," Daniel asked.

"I think we have cleared a big enough gap over here to put a smaller brace and get through," Jack said, jabbing a thumb over to where Teal'c stood.

"Wonderful. Let's see what we find on the other side," Daniel said, sweeping his flashlight over the opening. "Let's set up a brace and have an adventure!"


	6. Chapter 6

Jack was the first to round the corner into the room. He and Daniel had spent 10 minutes arguing about who should take the lead, Daniel because he was the expedition director, or Jack because of his military leadership.

"Jack, there are no Goa'uld's down here. I think the worst that will be down here is a few dust bunnies," Daniel had insisted. He was about to bring up another point when Jack held up a hand.

"Osiris ring a bell? No Gou'ald? What about those copasetic jars?" Jack said beaming when Daniel closed his mouth.

"Canopic jars."

"Whatever. Osiris. I take point,"

Daniel nodded and muttered to himself. Sam came beside him and smiled. "Just think, if there was a Goa'uld down here, he would be the first to be taken and you could negotiate a trade."

Hmm, let's concentrate on him being taken first. I don't make a habit of negotiating with snakes," Daniel smiled back.

After Jack did his sweep, he nodded to Daniel to come forward. Daniel did his own sole sweep of the walls and ground, much like his father did with his camera. He was in the same room as his parents, which struck him as sentimental and odd. They had been doing the same thing, but now he knew what the crates and baskets were full of.

Turning around in the room, sweeping his flashlight over the walls, Daniel saw that much of the writing was an old incantation for the Healing Waters, which suspiciously looked like a healing device. Looking around the crates and baskets, he uncovered the hand device.

"Well it looks like everything is still here," Daniel said as he held up the various gold-laid devices. Nothing but the parchment reciting the rituals of this place made it out."

"That's a relief. Shall we try to find the other parts of this corridor?" Sam asked as she looked at the uncovered stash.

"Ok, then we will have to take this like any other mission. Daniel, you are behind me and have permission to tell me if I am destroying some important artifact or something. Teal'c you're in the rear," Jack said once more falling into his commander role.

They left the room, Daniel still amazed that they had actually found it and now in wonderment that they were going further then his parents in their expedition. As he fell behind Jack, he once more took out his hand held camera and followed his flashlight taking in the walls and the still colorful art.

"If nothing else, I wished we could take some of these walls, or pictures and present them to the Egyptian community. I mean these are still in pristine conditions, centuries after it slipped out of the people's minds, and now it is found, waiting for people to enjoy," Daniel said as they walked on. "This is a huge find."

"And the strange circular disks that have that spiral thing coming out?" Jack asked, gesturing with a free hand. "How do you explain that?"

"Well, much of the artwork does show the disk, Ra, and the Pharaohs giving offerings to Ra, the principle god of the time. In exchange of the worship and offerings, Ra would promise to rise everyday, chasing Apophis out of the sky. All that to say I think it would be seen as a variation on that theme."

"You're the expert," Jack said as they continued down the hall. Walking on, Jack watched as his beam disappeared into the darkness, not bouncing off a wall. "Hold up, I think we got something."

Carefully the four spread out, sweeping the ground and piercing the darkness with their lights. Daniel and Sam rounded a big column on the far end of the room, not finding much to identify the place.

"This must be some vast hall, maybe the main temple," Daniel said. Finding a tall Horus guard statue, Daniel followed the colored robe and golden features to a bowl it was holding out. "Sam, do you have a light?"

"Um one second," she said, slinging her gun over her shoulder and digging through her cargo pant pockets for a book of matches Daniel had suggested she take along.

Handing over the book, Daniel smiled as he struck the match and held up the flame. As he was lifting it toward the bowl, Jack came over and gave a questioning look. "These are torches. Lighting them will give light."

Nodding, Jack watched as Daniel tossed the match into the bowl. For a second, nothing happened, and then suddenly a flame shot up and licked the cobwebs and darkness. The dim glow of the light was enough for the four friends to see each other's face. A small drop of fire came from the bottom of the bowl, dropping between Jack and Daniel.

"Um, I think it has a leak," Jack said, backing away as another drop fell. He began stomping the fire when Daniel held a hand out and stopped him. "You want the temple to burn?"

"No, Jack. I think it is meant to do that. Think of the Indiana Jones movies, where a single spark lights a river of gasoline in a moat around the room. I think this is something like that."

"Are you certain, DanielJackson?" Teal'c asked.

"Come here, there has to be something written on the columns," Daniel said turning to round the column again.

"These things come with instructions?" Jack asked warily.

Daniel scanned the lines of hieroglyphs, translating them in his head as he moved across the word pictures. "Ok, ok. It looks like the fire is moving toward the throne of Ra, signaling the start of court sessions, the rising of the sun, beginning anew. And then as the court progresses, the different changes of the day are marked by the progress of the 'Magical Light of Ra.'"

"Is there a way to speed up this 'Magical Light'?" Jack asked looking around as the fire dripped from the bowl and pooled on the ground, creeping toward the front of the hall.

"I don't know. I think we left some kerosene in the little healing room," Daniel said as he continued translating.

"Ok, you two stay here, watch out for anything that does not belong here. T and I will go back and see if we can't get this light show going," Jack said as he and Teal'c walked back toward the room.


	7. Chapter 7

"So what does it say?" Sam asked after the guys left them alone.

"Um… this passage here says that a ruler will open court by chanting, 'Ra s almighty and will shine always,' leading a small band of court officials to the lighting of the Horus. Then as Ra appears, the fire should be around the throne, which should be this way," Daniel said as he walked toward where the river of fire was slowly moving. "Right around here should be the throne, or knowing the Goa'uld, the steps to the throne…. Yup, here they are."

Sam came beside Daniel as he started recording the area around the throne steps. "Are they plated in gold?"

"I would think so. The Goa'uld never lacked style. Gold was a sign that you could afford such a precious commodity. But why worry when you are a powerful slave master and can have anything you want or kill those who say no."

"I'd be careful, Daniel," Sam said as she watched him go beside the staircase into a hidden room. "The General's right; we don't know what is down here."

Daniel looked back at her and raised an eyebrow. "You think Jack is right? There could be som-"

He was cut short. Sam moved ahead and shown the flashlight all around the room Daniel had been stepping into. "Daniel? Daniel!"

"Here. I'm here. Sorry, this wall is not really stable," Daniel said pushing against it and making it swing slightly.

"Stop that, you scared me," Sam said with worry in her voice.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to scare you, I was not expecting the wall to be a false door," Daniel said, giving it a little nudge again. "Should we look inside?"

"Will we be able to get out?"

"Hmm, usually these things were made to go both ways. Well there are few that are traps and not meant to get out of." Daniel and Sam shared a look for a heartbeat. "Yeah, maybe we should not take the chance," Daniel said at last.

Moving back toward the throne steps, Sam looked at Daniel. "I noticed a note attached to the parchment saying you and your girlfriend could come by the National Geographic Society office anytime. Hiding something?" Sam asked playfully.

Daniel turned a slight shade of red. "No, not hiding anything. Dana mistakenly thought that when I was calling you at the Pentagon, that you were my girlfriend. I forgot to tell her you were just a friend."

"Ah I see," Sam said turning away. She sighed and moved to inspect the small shrine that sat beside the steps.

"You seem disappointed," Daniel said.

"No, I'm not."

"Well something about the note is disturbing you."

"I just," Sam paused. Turning to face Daniel she straightened. "I just always thought of us more then 'just friends', that's all."

"Oh. Well maybe I shouldn't have used that then."

"No, no. You have to tell people what makes you feel comfortable," Sam said, looking into his blue eyes. "That's just how I see it."

"Sam…." Daniel now paused and closed his eyes. "I don't mean 'just a friend' when I say that. I mean to others who don't know us, don't know how we work and function, we do seem like more then just colleagues and scientists who work together. It can cause problems. I know we are more then 'just friends' but I…. I don't know if there is anyway it can move beyond that."

"There are ways."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Huh," Daniel said as he studied Sam's face. With her hair swept back and in loose khaki cargo pants and a light blue shirt on she was beautiful. The only thing that killed the image was the gun that hung over her shoulder, which before he know it, Daniel was sweeping off and placing it on the ground. "Ways to move beyond 'just friends?'"

"A few," Sam murmured. In the glow of the ever-advancing fire, Daniel moved closer and cupped her face. "I think this is a good step," Sam said as Daniel brought his lips to hers.

* * *

"I do not believe they need any extra fuel, O'Neill," Teal'c said as he and Jack rounded the corner and saw the two scientists in a lip lock.

"No, not really," Jack said smiling. "Come on. Let's go get some dinner ready. We can always radio them when everything is done. I just know that one of those tackle boxes is for fishing."

"Indeed. What about the Goa'uld devices?"

"Oh we'll collect them. I think Daniel found more then just his parents' discovery, I think he finally make one of his own."

They turned and walked away, the flames of the 'Magical Lights of Ra' burning and casting the couple in its glow.


End file.
